Chapter 7

DESCRIPTION.--Above ashy blue, slaty or pale mouse colour; albescent or yellowish ashy beneath; nasal appendage large, oblong, free at the tip, reaching to the base of the ears with a fold down the centre; tragus (_oreillon_) cordate, two-lobed, anterior long, narrow and pointed, posterior lobe half the height and rounded; muzzle truncated; under-lip cleft; wing membranes dark brown.

SIZE.--Head and body, 3 or 3-1/2 inches; wing extent, 14 to 19 inches.

Very abundant in old buildings. They are beyond doubt blood-suckers. Blyth noticed one fly into his room one evening with a small _vespertilio_, which it dropped on being chased. The smaller bat was weak from loss of blood, and next morning (the Megaderm having been caught), on both bats being put into the same cage, the little one was again attacked and devoured; it was seized both times behind the ear. McMaster writes that in Rangoon he had a tame canary killed by a bat, and the bird's mate soon afterwards was destroyed in the same way. The case was clearly proved.

Mr. Frith informed Mr. Blyth that these bats were in the habit of resorting to the verandah of his house at Mymensing, and that every morning the ground under them was strewed with the hind quarters of frogs, and the wings of large grasshoppers and crickets. On one occasion the remains of a small fish were observed; but frogs appeared to be their chief diet--never toads; and of a quiet evening these animals could be distinctly heard crunching the heads and smaller bones of their victims.

NO. 37. MEGADERMA SPECTRUM. _The Cashmere Vampire_ (_Jerdon's No. 16_).

HABITAT.--Cashmere.

DESCRIPTION.--Above slaty cinereous, whitish beneath; the vertical nose-leaf of moderate size, oval; inner lobe of tragus ovate (_Jerdon_).

SIZE.--Two and three-quarter inches.

Dobson makes this bat synonymous with the last.

NO. 38. MEGADERMA SPASMA.

HABITAT.--Tenasserim, Ceylon.

[Figure: _Megaderma spasma_.]

DESCRIPTION.--Muzzle, ear-conch, and tragus similar to those of _M. lyra_; the posterior portion of the tragus, however, is longer and more attenuated upwards, and more acutely pointed; the nose-leaf is shorter, with convex sides; but the anterior concave disc is considerably larger, and the base of the thickened process is cordate; thumbs and wings as in _M. lyra_; interfemoral membrane deeper; the calcaneum stronger; colour the same.

SIZE.--Head and body, about 3 inches. This bat is alluded to by Jerdon as _M. Horsfieldii_.

RHINOLOPHINAE.

Nasal leaf complicated, and crests resting on the forehead, presenting more or less the figure of a horse-shoe; tail long and placed in the interfemoral membrane; ears large, but separate, and not joined at the base, as in the last genus; without a tragus, but often with a lobe at the base of the outer margin; wings large and long; forefinger of a single joint.

_GENUS RHINOLOPHUS_.

Nose-leaf cordate, or semi-orbicular, bi-lobed in front of the nostrils; a longitudinal crest along the nose and an erect frontal leaf posteriorly more or less lanceolate.--_Jerdon_.

Dental formula: Inc., 2/4; can., 1--1/1--1; premolars, 2--2/2--2; molars, 3--3/3--3.

NO. 39. RHINOLOPHUS PERNIGER _vel_ LUCTUS. _The Large Leaf-Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 17_).

HABITAT.--Nepaul, Darjeeling, Khasya Hills.

[Figure: _Rhinolophus luctus_.]

DESCRIPTION.--Ears very large, much longer than the head; broad, acutely pointed; nasal apparatus very complicated; the lower leaf very large, concealing the upper lip like a door knocker; the upper leaf like a graduated spire; ears transversely striate; a rather large semi-circular lobe at base of ear; fur long, dense, soft, and lax, slightly curled or woolly black with a silvery grizzle, or greyish-black or rich chestnut-brown.--_Jerdon_.

SIZE.--Length, 3-3/4; tail, 1-3/4; wing expanse, 17 inches.

NO. 40. RHINOLOPHUS MITRATUS. _The Mitred Leaf-Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 18_).

HABITAT.--Chybassa, Central India, Mussoorie(?)

DESCRIPTION.--Ears large; anti-helix moderately developed; upper leaf triangular acute; tail extending beyond the tibia; color above light brown; paler beneath.--_Jerdon_.

SIZE.--Head and body, 2-1/2 inches; tail, 1-1/2 inch; wing expanse, 12 to 14 inches.

NO. 41. RHINOLOPHUS TRAGATUS _vel_ FERRUM-EQUINUM. _The Dark-brown Leaf-Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 19_).

HABITAT.--Nepaul, Mussoorie.

[Figure: _Rhinolophus ferrum-equinum_.]

DESCRIPTION.--Upper process like a barbed spear-head; central one small and narrow, a little expanded at the summit; anti-tragus less developed than usual; lips simple; colour a uniform deep brown, with tips of the hair paler, and somewhat rusty.--_Jerdon_.

SIZE.--Head and body, 2-5/8 inches; tail, 1-7/8 inch; wing, 15-1/2 inches.

The tail of this species seems unusually long. It is found in cavities of rock, and issues forth soon after dusk--sooner, according to Hodgson, than the species of _vespertilio_.

NO. 42. RHINOLOPHUS PEARSONII. _Pearson's Leaf-Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 20_).

HABITAT.--Lower Himalayan range, Darjeeling, Mussoorie, &c.

DESCRIPTION.--Colour above dark brown, with a slight shade of chestnut; underneath brown, with a sooty cast; fur very long, dense and soft; ears distinct, with an additional rounded lobe below, measuring anteriorly nearly three-fourths of an inch; point of the facial crest moderately developed; length from the tip of the nose to root of tail three inches; tail half an inch; length of fore-arm two inches; expanse of the wings eleven inches. Although allied to Mr. Hodgson's _R. tragatus_, possesses distinct characters.--_Horsfield_.

SIZE.--As given by Horsfield above.

This bat was first sent from Darjeeling by Mr. J. T. Pearson, and was named after him. It has also, according to Jerdon, been found by Captain Hutton at Mussoorie; it is therefore reasonable to suppose that it inhabits the whole range of the lower Himalayas. One striking difference between it and the last species is the very short tail, and it is easily to be recognised by the great length of the fur.

NO. 43. RHINOLOPHUS AFFINIS. _The Allied Leaf-Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 21_).

HABITAT.--Ceylon, Burmah, and perhaps the Malabar coast.

DESCRIPTION.--Above bright red ferruginous brown; tips of hair darker, paler beneath; ears pointed and external; edge deeply emarginated; internal edge and basal third of external surface hairy; anti-helix well developed; nasal process apparently very similar to that of _R. mitratus_ (_Kellaart_). Upper leaf triangular, emarginate at the tip, reaching above the base of the ears (_Jerdon_).

SIZE.--Head and body about 2-3/10 inches; tail, 1 inch; wing extent, 12 inches.

This bat seems to vary much in colour. Kellaart says some are of a brighter red than others, and a few had a yellower tinge. Another marked variety was of a uniform pale yellow brown.

NO. 44. RHINOLOPHUS ROUXI. _The Rufous Leaf-Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 22_).

HABITAT.--India generally.

DESCRIPTION.--Ears large, pointed, externally notched; tragus broad; tips of upper nose-leaf triangular, with its sides well emarginate, reaching above the base of the ears; no upper incisors [as in _Megaderma lyra_]; lower molars only five; canines very large; fur short, crisp; colour above smoky brown in some, reddish brown in others, and golden rufous in some; beneath paler.--_Jerdon_.

SIZE.--Length, 2-3/8 inches; tail, 1-1/8; wing expanse, 13 inches.

Hodgson considers this bat as allied to the two following species. It is the _R. lepidus_ of Blyth.

NO. 45. RHINOLOPHUS MACROTIS. _The Large-eared Leaf-Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 23_).

HABITAT.--Lower Himalayas.

DESCRIPTION.--Ears very large, broad, oval, with pointed recurved tip, and a large obtuse tragus; anterior central crest of nose-leaf produced in front over the top of the flat transverse front edge; hinder leaf lanceolate triangular; above sooty brown or light earthy olive-brown, paler below, some with a rufous or Isabelline tint; no pubic teats.--_Jerdon_.

SIZE.--Head and body, 1-3/4 inch; tail, 3/4; wing expanse, 9-3/4.

NO. 46. RHINOLOPHUS SUB-BADIUS. _The Bay Leaf-Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 24_).

HABITAT.--Nepaul.

DESCRIPTION.--Ears not larger than the head, obtusely pointed and ovoid; nasal appendage quadrate, with a transverse bar nearly surmounting it; upper leaf triangular, with slightly emarginate sides; clear brown above, paler below and on head and face.

SIZE.--Head and body, 1-1/2 inch; tail, 1-1/4; wing expanse, 7-1/2.--_Jerdon_.

NO. 47. RHINOLOPHUS RAMMANIKA (_Kellaart_).

HABITAT.--Ceylon.

DESCRIPTION.--Above rufescent, beneath ashy brown; face slightly fulvous; round the base of the ears and on the sides of the posterior half of the body bright fulvous; tail enclosed in the interfemoral membrane.

SIZE.--Head and body, 2-1/2 inches; tail, 1; wing expanse, 10 inches.

This is a doubtful species. Dr. Kellaart got one from Amanapoora hill at Kaduganava. He says: "As the specimen reached us in a dried condition, we are unable to say anything more about its nasal processes than that in place of a transverse process above the nostrils it had a small triangular peak over the usual horse-shoe process surrounding the nasal opening. This triangular crest was hairy; superiorly there was no appearance of a sac above it to the best of our recollection."

NO. 48. RHINOLOPHUS ANDAMANENSIS.

HABITAT.--Southern Andaman Island.

DESCRIPTION (_apud_ Dobson).--Like _R. affinis_ generally, but the anterior horizontal horse-shoe shaped membrane is very broad, completely concealing the muzzle when viewed from above, as in _R. Pearsonii_; the posterior terminal leaf is also much longer, produced backwards between the ears, and not concave on the sides as in _R. affinis_. The thumb is also much longer. Fur bright reddish brown above and beneath.

NO. 49. RHINOLOPHUS MINOR.

HABITAT.--Burmah, Yunan.

DESCRIPTION.--Light brown above, greyish brown beneath; ears slightly shorter than the head, sub-acutely pointed; anti-tragus large, separated by a deep angular notch; lower lip with three vertical grooves.

SIZE.--Length of head and body from 1 to 1-3/4 inch.

NO. 50. RHINOLOPHUS COELOPHYLLUS.

HABITAT.--Burmah.

DESCRIPTION.--Fur brown, with whitish roots, light brownish white below; ears large, with pointed tips projecting outwards; "anti-tragus large, separated by an angular emargination from the outer margin of the ear; horse-shoe large; horizontal margins of central nose-leaf triangular, small; erect portion rather short, with parallel sides and rounded summit, meeting the connected vertical process at the same level" (_Dobson_). For a more detailed description see Dobson's Monograph, page 53. Three vertical grooves on lower lip.

SIZE.--Length of head and body about 2 inches.

NO. 51. RHINOLOPHUS GAROENSIS.

HABITAT.--Garo Hills, Assam; Himalayas (Mussoorie).

DESCRIPTION (_apud_ Dobson).--Ears acutely pointed, with a large anti-tragus, as in _R. affinis_; anterior vertical process of the sella maintaining the same breadth upwards and rounded off above, considerably exceeded in height by the upper edge of the connecting process, which develops a long acutely pointed projection; terminal portion of the posterior leaf broad with straight sides, forming an almost equilateral triangle.

Wing membrane from the ankles, inter femoral membrane square behind; extreme tip of the tail free.

SIZE.--Length of head and body about 1.5 inch.

This bat is figured (head only) in Dobson's Monograph, page 48.

NO. 52. RHINOLOPHUS PETERSII.

HABITAT.--India. Precise locality unknown.

DESCRIPTION.--Ears acutely pointed, with an emargination immediately beneath the tip; anti-tragus large, separated from the outer margin by a deep angular incision; nose-leaf horizontal, horse-shoe-shaped, not so broad as the muzzle; vertical part of the sella almost same breadth upwards, and rounded off above, exceeded considerably in height by the upper margin of the posterior connecting process; lower lip with three vertical grooves; fur dark brown above, greyish brown beneath.

SIZE.--Length of head and body, 2.5 inches; tail, 1 inch.

There are two good woodcuts of the head of this bat in Dobson's Monograph.

NO. 53. RHINOLOPHUS TRIFOLIATUS.

HABITAT.--East coast of India.

DESCRIPTION.--Very much like _R. perniger_ (_luctus_), but is distinguished by its smaller size and by the more pointed vertical process of the central nose-leaf, which in the other is truncated.

SIZE.--Length of head and body, 2 inches; tail about 1 inch.

_GENUS HIPPOSIDEROS_ (_GRAY_) VEL _PHYLLORHINA_ (_BONAPARTE_).

Nasal-leaf broad, depressed, transverse; ears with transverse wrinkles; a circular sac behind the nasal crest, which can be turned inside out; when alarmed the animal blows it out, and then withdraws it at each breath; it contains a waxy matter of green or yellow colour. Blyth thinks that this sac is affected by the amorous season, as in the case of the infra-orbital cavities of various ruminants and analogous glandular follicles in other animals.

This genus is also distinguishable from the last by the form of the ear conch, the small size of the anti-tragus, and, as Dr. Dobson particularly points out, by the presence of _two_ joints only in all the toes, as also by the number and character of the teeth, which are as follows:--

Inc., 2/4; can., 1--1/1--1; premolars, 2--2/2--2; molars, 3--3/3--3.

NO. 54. HIPPOSIDEROS ARMIGER. _The Large Horse-shoe Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 25_).

HABITAT.--Lower Himalaya ranges; Ceylon.

DESCRIPTION.--Nasal-leaf large and square; lips with a triple fold of skin on each side; tragus vaguely developed and wavily emarginate; of a uniform light-brown colour, with maroon tips to the hairs of the upper parts; membranes black.

SIZE.--Head and body, 4-1/2 inches; tail, 2-1/2; wing expanse, 22.

Jerdon makes this out to be the same as Kellaart's _H. lankadiva_ and the Malayan _H. nobilis_, but those are synonymous with _Phyllorhina diadema_. Kellaart supposed it to be identical with _H. insignis_, which will be found further on as _Phyllorhina larvata_, all those bats closely resembling each other in a general way. I think this No. 25 of Jerdon is the same as Peter's _Phyllorhina armigera_. Hutton found it at Darjeeling, and writes of it as follows:--

"When captured alive the large ears are kept in a constant state of rapid tremulous motion, and the animal emits a low purring sound, which becomes a sharp scream when alarmed or irritated. When suspended at rest the tail and inter-femoral membrane are turned up, not in front, like the _Rhinolophi_, but behind, over the lower part of the back; neither does it appear to envelope itself in its wings so completely as does _R. luctus._" He then goes on to say he has noticed the tremor of the ears and facial crests in all the _Rhinolophi_ when disturbed, and concludes with a graphic description of this species, sallying forth in the evening to prey upon the noisy _Cicadas_; leisurely wheeling with noiseless, cautious flight round some wide-spreading oak, "scanning each branch as he slowly passes by--now rising to a higher circle, and then perchance descending to the lower branches, until at length, detecting the unfortunate minstrel, it darts suddenly into the tree, and snatching the still screaming insect from its perch, bears it away."

Jerdon procured specimens at Darjeeling, and Kellaart says it is found in great abundance at Kandy and its neighbourhood; Kurnegalle Tunnel swarms with them.

NO. 55. HIPPOSIDEROS SPEORIS. _The Indian Horse-shoe Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 26_).

HABITAT.--India generally and Ceylon.

DESCRIPTION.--Mouse brown or fulvous brown. Occasionally golden fulvous and sometimes dusky black above, paler beneath; membranes dusky brown; interfemoral membrane narrow, enclosing the tail except the last half joint (about 2-10ths of an inch), which is free.

Ear large, erect and pointed, rounded at the base and emarginated on the outer edge; nasal process complicated. "Males have a frontal sac; females none" (_Kellaart_). Pubis naked, with two inguinal warts.

SIZE.--Head and body, 2 inches; tail, 1-2/10; wing expanse, 12.

Inhabits old buildings, wells, &c.

NO. 56. HIPPOSIDEROS MURINUS. _The Little Horse-shoe Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 27_).

HABITAT.--Southern India, Ceylon, and Burmah.

DESCRIPTION.--Muzzle short; body short and thick; a transverse frontal leaf with a sac behind it; no folds of skin on each side of the horse-shoe as in the last species; ears large, naked and rounded; colour dusky brown or mouse, sometimes light fawn; wing membrane blackish; interfemoral membrane large, and including the tail all but the tip.

SIZE.--Head and body, 1-4/5 inch; tail, 1-1/5 inch; wing expanse, 10.

Jerdon says the mouse-coloured variety is common in the Carnatic, but he has only seen the light fulvous race on the Nilgheries; but Mr. Elliot procured both in the southern Mahratta country. A dark variety of this bat was called _Rhinolophus ater_ by Templeton, and _H. atratus_ by Kellaart; in other respects it is identical, only a little smaller.

NO. 57. HIPPOSIDEROS CINERACEUS. _The Ashy Horse-shoe Bat_ (_Jerdon's No. 28_).

HABITAT.--Punjab Salt range.

DESCRIPTION.--Similar to the last, but larger, and I should think the argument against _H. atratus_ would apply to this as a distinct species.

NO. 58. HIPPOSIDEROS LARVATUS. _Syn_.--PHYLLORHINA LARVATA.

HABITAT.--Arracan.

DESCRIPTION.--The fur of the upper part bright fulvous; more or less tinged with maroon on the back, lighter underneath; membranes dusky, but tinged with the prevailing colour of the fur; ears angulated; a minute false molar in front of the carnassial in the upper jaw.

SIZE.--Head and body, 2-3/4 inches; tail, 1-1/4; wing extent, 12.

Kellaart writes of this bat under his _H. aureus_. He describes it as head, neck, and body of a bright golden yellow, with a slight maroon shade on the tips of the hairs on the back. Females paler coloured. Frontal sac only in males; the waxy matter of a yellow colour, and quite transparent.

NO. 59. HIPPOSIDEROS VULGARIS. _Syn_.--PHYLLORHINA LARVATA. _The Common Malayan Horse-shoe Bat_.

HABITAT.--Arracan and Malayana.

DESCRIPTION.--"It differs from the last in being rather smaller, and of a brown colour above, much paler at the base of the hairs and at their extreme tips, and lighter coloured below; the ears more apiculated, or rather they appear so from being strongly emarginated externally towards the tip."--_Blyth_.

SIZE.--2-3/10 inches; tail 1-2/10; wing expanse about 12.

NO. 60. HIPPOSIDEROS BLYTHII.

HABITAT.--Ceylon, Fort Frederic.

DESCRIPTION.--Above surface colour a rich dark tawny brown; base of hairs much lighter coloured, of a brighter yellow tinge; beneath paler; face partially blackish; ears black; tip of tail excerted; no frontal sac; membranes blackish; nasal processes as in _H. speoris_.

SIZE.--Head and body, 2-2/10 inches; tail, 1; wing expanse, 12.

Dr. Kellaart considered this a new and undescribed species, distinguished from _H. speoris_ and _H. vulgaris_ (_vel Templetonii_--Kellaart) by the greater length of the fore-arm, which is two inches. This remark however does not apply to _vulgaris_, of which Kellaart himself gives two inches as the length of the radius, and Blyth gives two and a quarter. The absence of the frontal sac would have been a greater proof, but both specimens on which Kellaart made his observations were females; and as colouring is so varied in the bat tribe as to preclude the division of species on this ground, I think we may put this down as a doubtful species on which more information is desirable.

NO. 61. PHYLLORHINA DIADEMA.

HABITAT.--India generally; Ceylon and Burmah.

DESCRIPTION.--The fur with three shades--buff, then reddish brown with ashy tips, underneath greyish or pale brown. "The hinder erect nose-leaf," according to Dobson's description, "equals the horse-shoe and slightly exceeds the sella in width, its free margin forming a segment of the circumference of a circle, with a small blunt projection in the centre and three vertical ridges on its concave front surface; sella large, with a prominent ridge in the centre, forming a small projection above and one smaller on each side; sides of the muzzle with prominent vertical leaves, three on each side; no frontal pore."

There is a good figure of the head of this bat in Cuvier's 'Animal Kingdom,' Carpenter's and Westwood's edition, under the name of _Rhinolophus nobilis_. It is the same also as Kellaart's _Hipposideros lankadiva_. Captain Hutton, who was a keen observer of the habits of the bats at Mussoorie, says of this one: "Like _R. affinis_, this species may frequently be heard during its flight cracking and crunching the hard wings of beetles, which in the evening hours are usually abundant among the trees; the teeth are strong, and the _tout ensemble_ of its aspect is not unlike that of a bull-dog."--'Proc. Zoo. Soc.,' 1872, page 701.

NO. 62. PHYLLORHINA MASONI.

HABITAT.--Burmah (Moulmein).

DESCRIPTION.--This bat resembles the last closely; such difference as exists is that the concave surface of the terminal nose-leaf is divided into two cells only by a single central vertical ridge, and from the under surface of the juncture of the mandible a small bony process projects downwards about equal to the lower canine tooth in vertical extent, and covered by the integument.

There is an excellent figure of this bat in Dobson's Monograph, from whence I have also taken the above description.

NO. 63. PHYLLORHINA NICOBARENSIS.

HABITAT.--Nicobar Island.

DESCRIPTION.--"Ears large, acute; outer margin slightly concave beneath the tip; no frontal sac behind the nose-leaf; upper margin of the transverse terminal leaf simple, forming an arc of a circle, folded back and overhanging the concave front surface, which is divided into _two_ cells only by a single central longitudinal ridge; in front the margin of the horse-shoe is marked by three small points" (_Dobson_). Fur light brown, then greyish, with light brown tips.

SIZE.--Length of head and body, 3 inches.

NO. 64. PHYLLORHINA ARMIGERA.

HABITAT.--The entire range of the Himalayas, Khasya Hills, and Ceylon.

[Figure: _Phyllorhina armigera_. Male. Female.]

DESCRIPTION.--The hinder erect nose-leaf narrow, not so broad as the horse-shoe; upper edge sinuate, slightly elevated in the centre, and at either extremity; vertical ridges beneath well developed, prominent, enclosing moderately deep cells; wart-like granular elevations on each side above the eyes are usually greatly developed, forming large thickened longitudinal elevations extending forward on each side of the posterior erect nose-leaf, and backwards towards the frontal sac (_Dobson_). The colour varies.

SIZE.--Length of head and body from 3 to 4 inches; tail about 2.

This is the largest of this genus, and one of the most interesting of the species. My space will not admit of extensive quotations from those who have written about it, but there is a fuller description of it in Dr. Dobson's book, and a very interesting account of its habits by Capt. J. Hutton, in the 'Proceedings of the Zoological Society,' 1872, page 701.

NO. 65. PHYLLORHINA LEPTOPHYLLA.

HABITAT.--Khasya Hills.

DESCRIPTION.--Ears large, broad, triangular, with subacute tips; outer margin slightly concave; upper transverse nose-leaf small; upper edge simple, narrower than horse-shoe, thin; three vertical folds in front faintly descernible at base only; horse-shoe with small incision in centre of front free edge; frontal pore small, placed at some distance behind the transverse nose-leaf; fur and integuments dark throughout.--_Dobson_.

SIZE.--Length of head and body, 2 inches; tail, 1-6/10.

NO. 66. PHYLLORHINA GALERITA.

HABITAT.--Central India, Deccan.